St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-04
CURIOUS SUBSCRIPTION LISTS.
How They Are Applied to Sentimental
and Political Uses.

and Political Uses.
In Belgium people contriye to make a
great deal of use Cf subscription lists. Plain
Mr.. So-and-so, Anonymous" and tx. Y.
IT, are but rarely to be met with in a Bel
gian list of donations. Their places are taken
smallness Of their gifts by the length and
= piquancy of the mottoes they use. For II
Belgium the custom, at all events among the
I smaller bourgeois and downward, is to send
subscriptions, accompanied, not by a name,
but by motto or yau, which is usually
tprinted in full. Notwithstanding that it often
extends to three or four lines. As a rule, the
longer the motto the smaller the donation.
Most of the Brussels newspapers have been
receiving subscriptions for the support ofthe
widows and children of the colliers who per-
ished in the terrible accident at Quaregnon
a few weeks ago, and as a large number
Of workingnen have sent small sums the
lists have been full Of the odd mottoes
affected by their class. Some of the ynuI
are amatory, some political, some gourmand-
ish; while few smack of the nursery. "In
memory of Germaines first tooth" is an ex-
ample Of the last class; A day laborer sends
franc in the hope that my wife may no
longer abuse me when take a glass too
much" domestic warning seems to be
indicated in Edmund, open your eyes"
No doubt, some gay Lothario understood the
hint conveyed in the pious hope that c.
may leave his friends wife in peace" There
is something almost pathetic in the hope ex-
may again eat ecrevisse with Henri at Ma
mur" Namur is famous for the delightful
little ecrevisse which are the prime delicacy
of the valley of the Meuse. Uncle Toby may
perhaps have eaten them in the intervals of
lying in the trenches with Ibis honor"
But the amorous mottoes are by far the
most numerous. THAT JEANNE may again
roll me cigarette smacks of premier
amour Leon swears to Marie that he will
never abandon her. is quite in the approved
style May Toinette, before she marries,
think of her first love- seems to tell story
low who seems to have Jared exceptionally
badly at the hands of the sex exclaims
piteously, when shall be loved?' That
Clotilde may return to console Oscar at
Louyain' i perhaps an adjuration to an un-
stable maide.'. THAT Alfred may not again
perhaps of the lady herself. "That Eugene
may cease listening at the doors is, no
doubt, delicate hint. Some few notices
there are of melancholy cast, as 'For the
health of our little Emily" ITO the mem.-
ory of our poor little Philippine" and
may she rest in peace" The only motto
which could be considered vindictive is In
the hope that the man who is the cause of
suicide may be punished" Thepolitical mot
foes are usually violent. THAT the
masses may be delivered from the odi-
Gus yoke of o6scuranttsnae" is the hope
of one subscriber. The two-centime So
cialistic journals have been full Of mot
isters and priests, and all established
orders Of things. It would really seem that
in Belgium subscription list is regarded as
a convenient substitute for the platform
when violent political sentiments have to be
expressed. But it is pleasant to record that
very large sum Of money has been : raised aea
less misery has been alleviated, at all events
temporarily, ten by the benevolence Of these
motto-loving people